


Still Standing

by DrDom



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Brotp, Episode: s02e04 Dead Stop, Gen, friendship fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-05
Updated: 2015-04-05
Packaged: 2018-03-21 07:41:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3683790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrDom/pseuds/DrDom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events on the automated station of 'Dead Stop', Trip finds one final piece of damage in need of repair.<br/>Companion piece to 'Stand By Me'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Still Standing

Whistling softly, Trip pressed the buzzer next to the door. After a longer than expected pause, covering two more bars of ' _Dixieland Delight_ ', it opened. 

“What are you doing here?”

Ignoring Malcolm's tone, Trip held up a couple of generous bottles of beer, condensation stippling their sides.

“Figured you could do with a bit of down time after the last few days,” he said, stepping inside. “Y'know, being skewered on the hull, escapin' Terminator Station back there –” 

Malcolm interrupted: “I mean, what are you doing _here_? We're supposed to be confined to quarters.”

“We're _what?_ ”

“It says so in the security log. The Captain hasn't rescinded the order. I checked.”

“Don't give me that regulations bullshit. The Cap'n forgot to fill out a damn' form. There's no way he wants us still locked up.”

“He’s not said anything to the contrary … ”

“We just saved Travis from his new life as a stick of RAM! Not to mention the rest of the ship when that station got ansty. Have you _asked_ the Cap'n?”

Malcolm was horrified. “No!”

Trip put down the bottles with a clatter. 

“Right.” He pointed to Malcolm's computer. “Find him.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You've got security feeds here: where's the Cap'n, Lieutenant?”

Malcolm blinked at him, then leaned over his terminal.

“In his quarters,” he reported.

“Let’s go.”

“What?”

“Would you rather sit around here all evening bein' miserable than ask him what he means? OK, stupid question, course you would. But I won't. Come on.”

Trip dragged Malcolm out of the door.

“We can't just walk in on the Captain!”

“We're not. We’re gonna press the buzzer first.”

Malcolm hurried with him down the corridor.

“We shouldn't be out of quarters, we're breaking bounds! That's a serious offence, we could end up in the Brig.”

Trip didn't slow down. “I'm the ranking officer, I'll say I ordered you to come with me.”

“Because you taking the blame worked _so_ well last time.”

“For crissakes, Malcolm – ”

“And what if you're wrong?” Malcolm demanded. “What if he _does_ think the order should stand, then –”

“Then he'll tell us.”

“So we give him another chance to say how disappointed he is?”

Trip stopped.

“Malcolm, who the hell was your last C.O.? I'm beginning to think they must've been Genghis Khan given what you're expectin'.”

“Captain Dupois did not require high disciplinary standards,” Malcolm replied, stiffly.

“Huh, you mean she didn't measure up to _yours_. Well, I don't reckon Jon's gonna be any more likely to yell at us again.” Trip glanced at him curiously. “And if it wasn't her, where the hell are you gettin' these ideas from anyway?”

He was brought up short by the look of genuine unhappiness on Malcolm's face.

_Crap_ , he thought, mentally kicking himself, _me and my big mouth. Not to mention here I go again, draggin' him into things he'd never do alone._

His voice softened. “Look, why don't you wait here, I'll go talk to the Cap'n,” he offered.

Malcolm stiffened. “Certainly not.”

“Okay then,” Trip sighed. “C'mon and let's get this over with.”

They stopped outside the Captain’s quarters. Trip pushed the buzzer, and they heard Archer’s voice calling them in immediately.

Archer was resting on his bed, out of uniform, his water-polo ball in his hands. He smiled at them as they entered.

_Good start_ , Trip thought.

“What can I do for you?” Archer asked

Trip looked at Malcolm, who was standing to attention with the appearance of a man facing the scaffold.

“We just wanted to clear something up, Cap'n.” Now he came to it, Trip felt a sudden qualm. He _really_ hoped he was right. “After we went pokin' around the station, you said we were confined to quarters till further notice. Is that still standin'?”

“The order is in the security log,” Malcolm explained quickly, “so of course officially it still stands. We came straight here … ”

Trip hadn't missed the look of complete astonishment that passed rapidly over the Captain’s face; although he would bet good money that Malcolm had. He straightened up, trying to project his best Boy Scout demeanour.

Archer put down the water-polo ball. He regarded his two officers thoughtfully.

“I don't think confining you to quarters is really the way forward any more,” he said, gravely. “No, that order is rescinded. I have a sterner punishment in mind for you two.”

Trip looked innocent, as Malcolm visibly braced himself.

“Tomorrow morning, Captain's Mess, breakfast. Don't be late.”

He picked up the ball again.

“Yes sir,” Trip said with a grin.

“Aye, Captain.” Malcolm seemed dazed.

They had reached the door when Archer called him back.

“And Lieutenant –” 

“Yes, sir?”

“Don't bring your PADD. That's an order, Mr Reed.”

^^

Out in the corridor, Trip grinned at the still-stunned Malcolm.

“How 'bout those beers then? T'Pol was sayin' we're about to go past a supernova remnant. At warp four the blueshift should be quite somethin'. Forward obs lounge'll have the best view.”

“That sounds … fantastic.”

At the far end of the corridor Malcolm stopped suddenly.

“I forgot to ask the Captain to sign the security log to revoke the confinement order.”

“Aw, c'mon!”

“If he doesn't, we're still officially supposed to – ” 

“Malcolm, I'm gonna ask you something. As a _friend_. We've got two beers that'll be at British temperature if we leave them any longer, and a nebula that ain't gonna admire itself. Leave the paperwork till the morning.”

Malcolm hesitated.

“You're a bad influence, Mr Tucker.”

Trip grinned broadly. “Always happy t' oblige.”

They set off together down the corridor.

**FIN**


End file.
